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A perfect 10

August 23, 2008

From teenage retirement to Royal Easter Show high-diver to gay
icon to gold Olympic medallist; Matthew Mitcham's journey to
success has been an amazing roller-coaster.

Mitcham's pulled off a stunning final dive in the 10 metre
platform, scoring an incredible four perfect 10s, to steal the gold
off favourite Chinese diver Luxin Zhou. Mitcham finished with
537.95 points.

It was a massive upset defeating the premiere and form Chinese
divers Liang Huo and Luxin Zhou in front fierce home crowd.

Mitcham, 20, battled depression, retired in his teenage years
after physical and emotional burn-out, then just nine months later
resumed his sport in 2007. Last night his triumphant return to the
sport was crowned with gold.

His coach Chava Sobrino, who encouraged Mitcham back into the
sport, elatedly embraced diver and Mitcham broke down in tears.

It was late 2006 that Mitcham lost passion for diving and
suffering depression he quit. During his hiatus from the sport last
year to make money he plunged from a tower 14 metres high into a
pool of water for crowds at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney. That
job reignited his passion for the sport.

One person who has been by his side for the entire tumultuous
and now brilliant journey is his partner, Lachlan, he was in the
crowd last night courtesy of a Johnson & Johnson Olympic
sponsorship.

Mitcham is one of only a few "out" gay athletes in Beijing and
the first Australian to openly declare his homosexuality going into
an Olympics. He's been a cover-boy for gay magazines and featured
on the cult gossip website Perezhilton.com accompanied by the
tagline: "Yum. Yum. Yum! Can we have a piece of that????".

From the first round the Chinese divers were on song Zhou luxin
scored 84.00 and Huo Liang 82.50.

Mitcham's first dive was shaky and not well executed he finished
with a poor 73.50 in 9th spot after first round. But the second
dive, a back three and 1/2 somersault, rescued his score and
boosted him up to second place. He registered four 10s - gave him a
score of 97.35 for the back 3 and half somersault.

He continued on consitently, and was in bronze position after
round for of five. His fifth dive, an armstand back double
somersault, one and half twists, put him in silver.

For his last dive Mitcham needed something brilliant for gold
and he found it in his back 2 and 1/2 sommersault 2 and 1/2 twists
dive. He scored a huge 112.10 points.

He smiled broadly as he collected the Olympic gold, triumphantly
throwing his hands in the air. Tears fell again when the medal was
slipped over his head and around his neck.

Mitcham's final dive was the highest scoring dive in Olympic
history and he was stunned. His thoughts?

"I think it's something to beat next time," Mitcham said.
"Everything absolutely everything has been for this. I knew it was
a far chance but I did everything, absolutely everything I could,
to give myself the best chance of doing it. It's actually happened
I never thought it would."

First dive and third dive "weren't the best". He kept the
faith.

"I knew the best dives would come," Mitcham said.

His rocky road to the top was worth it Mitcham said last
night.

"Coming back and doing everything I did was to win an Olympic
gold medal. When I was training every single day, twice a day,
eleven sessions a week, thirty hours a week before every single
dive I said to myself; 'I want to win an Olympic gold'.